David Walker has absolutely dominated at the FCS level and is one of the most hyped small school prospects in this cycle. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of Central Arkansas EDGE David Walker
Measurables:
- 6’2”
- 260 lbs
Player Background:
David Walker originally started his collegiate career at Division II Southern Arkansas as an unranked 2019 graduate. He redshirted his first season with the team and slid into the linebacker role the following year. His skills were immediately put on display with eight sacks, 52 tackles, and a whopping 19.5 tackles-for-loss in 11 games. He chose to enter the transfer portal and ended up in Central Arkansas.
He instantly became the face of the Bears’ defense and took home conference DPOY honors in his first Division I season. Walker’s breakout year saw him racking up 12 sacks and 21 TFLs. He put on another year of fantastic production in 2023 with 7.5 sacks, 18 TFLs, and a forced fumble. His disruption only continued into his last college season, with 10.5 sacks and four FFs in 2024.
Accolades:
- ASUN Defensive Player of the Year (2022)
- First-Team All-ASUN (2022)
- United Athletic Conference (UAC) Defensive Player of the Year (2023)
- First-Team All-UAC (2023)
- First-Team All-UAC (2024)
- Buck Buchanan Award Winner for FCS Outstanding Defensive Player (2024)
- First-Team All-UAC (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Walker has been a production machine throughout his collegiate career and is a high-effort sack artist. He has extended experience working within multiple alignments and flashes athletic tools all over the field. His hands are his best weapon as a pass rusher by far. He establishes hand leverage early and engages with tackles quickly to utilize his moves. His hands are violent and powerful at the contact point as well.
He’s a solid speed rusher who gains early leverage and can win with first-step quickness to both the inside and outside. Walker’s arms are strong enough to lock out and generate solid upper-body drive to push tackles into the pocket. His closing speed is excellent and he flies around the field against the run, finishing plays at all three levels. He showcases strong rip moves to win at the line and he changes angles mid-play well to offset offensive tackles’ positioning.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Because of his stockier frame, Walker struggles with general hip stiffness. He cannot bend and dip under tackles when rushing the passer, which causes issues when working outside. This stiffness also decreases his balance consistency when driving through lower leverage and diminishes his power during those rushes. He needs to add more functional strength, as he has too many clear losses against larger linemen.
He’s built very compactly, which prevents him from striking out and attacking from a distance. That, combined with his stiffness issues, makes his margin for error much smaller. Walker gets into trouble when he has to resort to counter moves often. He becomes far too inconsistent and becomes sloppy and chaotic at the line. He’s shown deficiencies in maintaining his leverage against the run and getting driven off his base. As with most FCS prospects, the level of his competition will be a story to watch.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Walker is definitely a project, but one NFL teams should be in on as a late Day 2 to early Day 3 pick. He’s a natural producer who’s shown tons of potential as a pass rusher and run-stopper in a plethora of schemes. An NFL coaching staff will have to teach him how to work within his frame and overcome some of his weaknesses, which is never a guaranteed success. He could develop into a consistent defensive presence, but it might take some patience and time.
Prospect Grade:
- Mid To Late 4th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Arkansas State
- 2024 vs. North Alabama
- 2024 vs. Lamar
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
